Andrew Thornton's Lima Beads Reader's Challenge

I love a good challenge, at least in theory.  When I saw Andrew Thornton had cooked up a Spring inspired challenge using beads from Lima Beads, I knew I wanted to join.  Truth be known, I scarcely looked at all the beads before taking the plunge.

The kit is just beautiful with all these luscious shades of green.  The bird, by Earthenwood Studio just wants to take flight.  I didn't even notice the rabbit toggle clasp from Green Girl Studios, until I received the kit.  I love that the rabbit is jumping through the toggle.

These are not colors or components I usually work with.  Had I really sat down and looked at the beads, I might have run the other way.  I love greens, but gravitate toward darker, more earthy tones of green.  The silver also threw me a bit.  Lately, I had been working with more bronze and copper tones.  But that's why they call it a challenge, right?

I knew I was going to need more seed beads, so I looked through my stash and found these awesome lime green delicas.

I wanted a contrasting color and stumbled upon these matte red seed beads.

Both looked nice with the frosted celery from the challenge kit.

I had beads, but I needed a plan.  I kept staring at the picasso rondelles.  I only had a few, but they were too pretty not to use.  Then it hit me.  What do you do with only a few rondelles?  You bezel them, of course.

I started beading without much of a plan, but I had thought I would use the bird component.  As I went along, though, another idea hit me.  The rabbit in the clasp from Green Girl Studios looks as if he's bounding along and diving into his den.

What if the rabbit was bounding through the garden, heading toward the den?  He might look like this:

I couldn't figure out how I wanted to connect my flowers.  I wanted to use the chain, but wasn't sure how.

I remembered a design in Beadmaille by Cindy Pankopf.  Cindy used rings and seedbeads to create an effect similar to chain maille.

I took the links out of the silver chain and used them with seed beads to create the strap from Cindy's "Faerie Garden Necklace."  It was perfect.

I connected the chain to the remaining part of the toggle:

And the finished product:

While I am pleased with the red, I think a bright orange would have made the piece more "springy."  Ah, well .. next time I'll know.  :)

I was disappointed that I did not use the beautiful blue bird or the citrus seed beads.  I glanced through my books and found a lovely bracelet in Seed Bead Fusion by Rachel Nelson-Smith.  Rachel's "Mini O Bracelet" seemed a perfect fit for the size 8 citrus seed beads.  I thought I could incorporate what I had left of the celery seed beads as well.

This was such a fun bracelet and worked up in about a day.

I also wanted to use the other rabbit.  I hope he likes his new home.  :)

I still have dreams for the little bird.  I'm sure he will take flight soon.

Andrew, thank you for putting together such a wonderful collection of beads.  I would never have chosen these colors on my own, but love the combination.

Please check out Andrew's blog to see what the other participants created.